Glider repair health issues?

I have worked with fiberglass grinding dust and harsh chemicals like acrylic Urethane, lacquer thinner, etc. for the past 44 years, so I faked a chronic cough in order to get a CT scan. Just met with a Pulmonologist and got a clean bill of health! Heart, lungs, kidney and liver all look pretty good for this 85 year old specimen who quit smoking 38 years back. X-ray confirmed a screwed up spine thanks to Martin-Baker, but they saved my bacon 53 years ago, so hats off to them! The Doc told me that fiberglass dust is too course to cause problems in the lungs and harsh chemicals attack the liver and brain. My liver is OK ...................I’ll leave it to others to comment on my brains, but I’m still racing..............4th place last year!
Life is good,
JJ

Congratulations ....now stay away from doctors, hospitals....did you write 85? 1935 Wow! Gas was 10cents, unemployment 20.1%, Roosevelt was President, and 1E Don W got lucky with Peggy Sue Smith. A lot of history since and more ahead of you. Glide on!

R

Great JJ, hope to see you at Minden! As an aside Im glad to hear about fiberglass I worked in the HVAC field and have breathed way more insulation in then anyone should have too!

CH

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at 2:10:16 PM UTC-7, wrote:
I have worked with fiberglass grinding dust and harsh chemicals like acrylic Urethane, lacquer thinner, etc. for the past 44 years, so I faked a chronic cough in order to get a CT scan. Just met with a Pulmonologist and got a clean bill of health! Heart, lungs, kidney and liver all look pretty good for this 85 year old specimen who quit smoking 38 years back. X-ray confirmed a screwed up spine thanks to Martin-Baker, but they saved my bacon 53 years ago, so hats off to them! The Doc told me that fiberglass dust is too course to cause problems in the lungs and harsh chemicals attack the liver and brain. My liver is OK ...................I’ll leave it to others to comment on my brains, but I’m still racing..............4th place last year!
Life is good,
JJ

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at 2:10:16 PM UTC-7, wrote:
I have worked with fiberglass grinding dust and harsh chemicals like acrylic Urethane, lacquer thinner, etc. for the past 44 years, so I faked a chronic cough in order to get a CT scan. Just met with a Pulmonologist and got a clean bill of health! Heart, lungs, kidney and liver all look pretty good for this 85 year old specimen who quit smoking 38 years back. X-ray confirmed a screwed up spine thanks to Martin-Baker, but they saved my bacon 53 years ago, so hats off to them! The Doc told me that fiberglass dust is too course to cause problems in the lungs and harsh chemicals attack the liver and brain. My liver is OK ...................I’ll leave it to others to comment on my brains, but I’m still racing..............4th place last year!
Life is good,
JJ

Right behind you JJ, but never smoked, and retired from flying 12 years ago, all I can do is drool over the cu in Arizona.

NK

Gkemp, you should fly on Condor 2.

I'm glad you shared your story. I was kind of wondering about this myself. I've handled some stuff with fairly nasty MSDS but nothing quite on the order of the things I am fixing to use in the next six months.

On Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 11:27:09 PM UTC-8, Shaun Wheeler wrote:
I'm glad you shared your story. I was kind of wondering about this myself. I've handled some stuff with fairly nasty MSDS but nothing quite on the order of the things I am fixing to use in the next six months.

I suspect genetics is the overriding factor.

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at 4:10:16 PM UTC-5, wrote:
I have worked with fiberglass grinding dust and harsh chemicals like acrylic Urethane, lacquer thinner, etc. for the past 44 years, so I faked a chronic cough in order to get a CT scan. Just met with a Pulmonologist and got a clean bill of health! Heart, lungs, kidney and liver all look pretty good for this 85 year old specimen who quit smoking 38 years back. X-ray confirmed a screwed up spine thanks to Martin-Baker, but they saved my bacon 53 years ago, so hats off to them! The Doc told me that fiberglass dust is too course to cause problems in the lungs and harsh chemicals attack the liver and brain. My liver is OK ...................I’ll leave it to others to comment on my brains, but I’m still racing..............4th place last year!
Life is good,
JJ

Really good outlook for JJ.
That said, we who do this work should be using dust masks and especially the correct air supply when spraying urethane.
JJ- How about better than 4th in 2020.
UH

UH...........I was 5th until the leader charged out to Beckworth and landed there! Seven pilots moved up! I’m happy with 4th out of 19! Stopped charging 20 years ago and found things much more enjoyable!

Good clothing (no exposed skin) and good mask is essential.........I remember mixing a batch of resin, 30 years back, when I said, I can’t smell this stuff, my son said, I don’t smell anything, either.................his friend said, I SURE SMELL IT!

Gues we had already burned out our nostrils? I can’t smell much of anything to this day! Outside air with respirator essential for spraying urethane and carbon mask when mixing the stuff!
Cheers,
JJ